Plane crash tragedy

[Da Coach]

The details of this story are slowly emerging. A small plane crashed early this morning outside Bloomington, Illinois. It was returning from the Final Four in Indianapolis. 5 to 7 people are reported to have been killed.
There are rumors that the plane may have been carrying some ISU Athletic department personnel......I'm hoping the news I just heard is not true.

http://www.kare11.com/story/news/2015/04/07/5-reported-dead-after-plane-crash-following-final-four/25403335/

[Fyrebyrd]

The details of this story are slowly emerging. A small plane crashed early this morning outside Bloomington, Illinois. It was returning from the Final Four in Indianapolis. 5 to 7 people are reported to have been killed.
There are rumors that the plane may have been carrying some ISU Athletic department personnel......I'm hoping the news I just heard is not true.
http://www.kare11.com/story/news/201...four/25403335/

Knowing the type of personnel who attend the final four on behalf of a university athletic department, this is interesting (in a curious manner, obviously this is a tragedy regardless). Supposedly there is a press conference at noon according to the Pantagraph.

[tornado]

There are reports that a business owner from Eureka, IL and his two children are among the casualites...still waiting for more details

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-plane-carrying-5-people-crashes-near-bloomington-airport-20150407-story.html

[cpacmel]

There are reports that a business owner from Eureka, IL and his two children are among the casualites...still waiting for more details
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...407-story.html

The article does NOT say his children were among the victims.

Just that he had 2 children.

[Da Coach]

Strong rumors, though not confirmed, that the fatalities may have included a couple members of the Athletic Department at ISU, possibly one administrative and one coaching staff.

[Fyrebyrd]

There are reports that a business owner from Eureka, IL and his two children are among the casualites...still waiting for more details
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...407-story.html

There seems to be some conflicting stories. The Pantagraph reports up to 7 dead. The Chicago Tribune reports only 5 were on the plane. The Chicago Tribune's interview with the father-in-law of the business owner also seems to imply the children were not on the plane.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-plane-carrying-5-people-crashes-near-bloomington-airport-20150407-story.html

[Da Coach]

The plane is reported to be a Cessna 414 like this one-

[tornado]

a tweet from a former ISU Redbird player is ominous

https://twitter.com/n_zeis2/status/585458417197789185

[tornado]

ISU assistant Torrey Ward was aboard the plane according to one report

[Da Coach]

ESPN now reporting what we have heard that ISU Associate Coach Torrey Ward was among those killed in the crash. Others were boosters and reportedly a member of the athletic department staff.

https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/585464155035082752

[tornado]

Very tragic - a couple boosters, the assistant, the pilot - all killed in the crash...

https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/585464155035082752

[carter]

Isu

As much as I dislike ISU and never want them to win you never want to hear that possibly any staff was killed like this.Hope it is not so

[Da Coach]

There are many reports that among the dead is Torrey Ward, Associate Coach for the ISU basketball team. There is apparently no official announcement yet.
Torrey Ward was a good player at UAB, then spent time as an assistant at Ole Miss before joining Dan Muller's staff in 2012. He was elevated to the title of Associate Coach last year.

http://goredbirds.com/staff.aspx?staff=17

[mvcfan]

Tragic day in in Central Illinois. Very tough as a Birds fan now. Pray for the families.

[tornado]

Torrey Ward's name was mentioned for the SIUE job --
..very sad day indeed for all the families involved..


Terry Stralow is another name now known -

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-plane-carrying-5-people-crashes-near-bloomington-airport-20150407-story.html

& Scott Bittner